The Dickinson School of Law (DSL) and the Educational Theory and Policy Program (EDTHP) offer a joint degree program leading to a Juris Doctor (J.D.); and a Master of Arts (M.A.), or a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Educational Theory and Policy.
Admissions Requirements
The number of openings in the joint degree J.D./M.A., or Ph.D. program will be limited to students with an outstanding academic record who have successfully completed the first-year curriculum with the law school. Applicants to the joint degree program:
- must have been admitted to The Dickinson School
of Law
- should have successfully completed the first-year
curriculum at The Dickinson School of Law
with a grade point average of 3.0
- must submit two letters of recommendations from
The Dickinson School of Law faculty
- must submit a career statement
Note: students are eligible to start taking courses in the EDTHP program after successfully completing the first-year curriculum with the law school.
College Specific Admissions Requirements
DSL: We consider each application in its entirety, including academic transcripts, leadership activities, community activities, work experience, personal background, letters of recommendation, personal statement(s), LSAT score(s) and LSAT writing sample. Through consideration, the admissions committee seeks to identify candidates for law study who are academically prepared for the study of law and who will contribute to the promotion of diversity and excellence in the student body and the legal profession. The committee has no computational methods for making decisions. An applicant should have acquired significant oral and written communication skills before entering law school. The following are required of applicants: a completed electronic or paper application form for DSL; the $60 application fee (credit card payment acceptable) or the fee waiver application; the Law School Admissions Service (LSAC) Report, which should include the results from the Law School Admissions Test(s) (LSAT), transcripts from every undergraduate school attended, and letters of recommendation (academic references preferred) submitted via the LSAC LOR service; and finally, a current and complete resume, and the personal statement(s) which may be submitted as attachments with your electronic application or paper application.
EDTHP: The following are required of all applicants: a completed Graduate School application; submission of the results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), or LSAT; an official undergraduate transcript or transcripts; a personal statement; employment records since high school; and three letters of recommendation.
The best qualified students will be accepted for admission into the doctoral program up to the number of spaces available. Students with a 2.75 grade-point-average (GPA) will be considered to the master's program, and with a 3.0 GPA at the master's level for the Ph.D. program. Exceptions to the minimum GPA may be made for students with special backgrounds, abilities, and interests.
Application Process
Students must complete the following Penn State applications, along with any other requirements in the College Specific Admissions Requirements section above. These applications may be completed simultaneously.
- Select: Apply Now or Continue Application in Progress
- Select: I am applying to, have been admitted to, or am currently enrolled in, the Penn State Dickinson School of Law and wish to apply to an approved joint degree program.
- Print and complete this application and mail it to the address indicated on the last page of the application.
International Applicants
All international applicants whose first language is not English or who have not received baccalaureate or master's degrees from an institution in which the language of instruction is English must take the Test of English as a Second Language (TOEFL) and submit the results of that test with the application for admission. A TOEFL score of 550 on the paper test or a score of 213 on the computer-based test, or 80 points on the new Internet-based test with a minimum of 23 points on the new speaking portion; or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a minimum composite score of 6.5 is required for admission.
Residency
Students will normally spend four semesters in residence at DSL and as many additional semesters in residence as needed to complete the additional requirements for the pertinent EDTHP degree. Ph.D. candidates must arrange the sequence of semesters to ensure that they are in residence as full-time students in the EDTHP program for at least two consecutive semesters (Fall-Spring or Spring-Fall) excluding summer in a single twelve-month period.
College Liaisons
The department and faculty liaisons for DSL shall be the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and the student advisor shall be the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or such other faculty member(s) as may be designated by the Dean. The liaison for EDTHP shall be the Professor-in-Charge (PIC) or such faculty member(s) as may be designated by the PIC.
College Prescribed Curriculum
DSL: All students are required to take the first-year curriculum in DSL. In the second or third year, students must take CORE 934 (Professional Responsibility).
EDTHP:
M.A. Requirements:
A minimum of 36 credits is required for the M.A. in EDTHP. At least 27 credits must be at the 500 level or above; at least 18 credits must be in EDTHP. At least 6 credits of thesis research (EDTHP 600 or 610) must be taken to fulfill the Graduate School's requirements. Only 3 credits of EDTHP 596 (Independent Study) may be counted toward the M.A. requirements. Students who wish to transfer credits from other programs must receive prior approval from the EDTHP faculty. The required course is EDTHP 500 (Pro-seminar).
Ph.D. Requirements:
Introduction to the EDTHP Program: EDTHP 500 (3 credits)
Research Methods (12 credits): EDTHP/EDLDR/HI ED 585: Research Design, EDTHP/EDLDR/HI ED 586: Qualitative Methods, plus, two quantitative methods courses.
Research Courses (6 credits): of research method courses specifically related to the student's thesis.
Theory Foundations (12 credits):
Four theory-based 500-level EDTHP courses are required. At least one course must be a 500-level EDTHP course in the area of history or philosophy of education (e.g., EDTHP 533, 536, 540, or 541), and another must be a 500-level EDTHP course in the area of sociology or demography of education (e.g., EDTHP 516, 557, or 597 classes such as Sociology of Education or Sociology of Adolescence). After a student has consulted with his or her advisor, one 400-level course may be substituted for EITHER one 500-level Theory course OR one 500-level Policy course, depending on the nature of the 400-level course. Students who take advantage of this option will need to do additional work beyond the 400-level requirements and should make arrangements with the instructor ahead of time. Some EDTHP courses may be counted as either a Theory course or a Policy course, but they may not be double-counted.
Policy Foundations (12 credits): EDTHP/EDLDR/HI ED 587: Policy and Politics
In addition, three 500-level EDTHP courses in educational policy (e.g., EDTHP 516, 518, 520, 527, or 597 classes such as Comparative Analysis of Education Policy) are required. After a student has consulted with his or her advisor, one 400-level course may be substituted for EITHER one 500-level Theory course OR one 500-level Policy course, depending on the nature of the 400-level course. Students who take advantage of this option will need to do additional work beyond the 400-level requirements and should make arrangements with the instructor ahead of time. Some EDTHP courses may be counted as either a Theory course or a Policy course, but they may not be double-counted.
Other Credits (21 credits): to include credits for minor or dual-title requirements, electives, and thesis research. A maximum of 9 professional credits and 15 academic transfer credits may be counted.
EDTHP independent study courses (EDTHP 596) will be counted only as electives unless the student consults with his or her advisor and then petitions the EDTHP faculty.
Inter-program Transfer of Credits
DSL: A maximum of twelve (12) credits for EDTHP course work may be transferred for credit toward the J.D. degree at DSL. Students must obtain a grade satisfactory to DSL for the course work to be credited toward the J.D. degree.
The following EDTHP courses may qualify for credit in DSL: EDTHP 518 (3), EDTHP 520 (3),
EDTHP 533 (3), EDTHP 541 (3), EDTHP 587 (3)
EDTHP: What courses may be credited will be determined by the student's degree program. Normally a maximum of twelve (12) credits of DSL course work will be counted for credit for the minimum requirements for a master's degree, subject to approval by the student's advisory committee. Normally, a maximum of 30 credits from a master's degree program will be counted for credit for the minimum requirements for a Ph.D. degree.
Sequence of Study
The sequence of courses will be determined by the student and their advisors. Students must successfully complete the first-year curriculum with the law school before beginning the EDTHP program. EDTHP courses completed prior to the successful completion of the law school first-year-curriculum will not be permitted to count toward the J.D. degree.
Recommended Program of Study and Advising
All students in the program will have two advisors, one from DSL and one from EDTHP. Periodic interaction between the two advisors will be encouraged. A program of study will be developed for each student, taking into account the fact that some courses are offered on a rotating or intermittent basis. Many courses are offered every year but some are offered every two or three years. The standard committee structure will apply to the EDTHP programs.
Tuition
Students will be charged the applicable DSL tuition to cover the J.D. program and the applicable graduate tuition to cover the EDTHP degree program. DSL tuition will be paid for the semesters in which the student is registered for DSL courses, and graduate tuition will be paid for the semesters in which the student is registered for graduate courses in the EDTHP program. A student may take up to one course (3 credit hours) per semester in the program where the student is not primarily registered without any change in tuition, but must pay additional tuition to the program that the student is not primarily registered if he or she wishes to take additional course work pursuant to that program during the semester.
Financial Aid and Assistantships
Decisions on financial aid and assistantships will be made by each school according to that school's procedures.
Educational Theory and Policy (EDTHP) course list
Educational Leadership Program (EDLDR) course list
Higher Education (HI ED) course list
Dickinson School of Law (DSL) course list
